second opinion
WORKERS, JUNE 2003 ISSUE
WHAT IS a fitting education system for an advanced industrial nation in the 21st century? The picture from the British schools front line is of teacher redundancies, crumbling buildings and four-day weeks — with only the commitment and professionalism of education workers holding things together.
Education Secretary Clarke has been trying to blame councils for the £2.5 billion “black hole” in funding identified by head teachers. But that doesn't wash as it might have done in the old days, because heads run their own budgets now and know where the money is supposed to come from.
The costs of Blair's adventure in Iraq are uncomfortably close to education's black hole, and are being felt throughout Britain's classrooms.
Will we allow British children to pay the price?